Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Victor Kaisar

Athlete of the Year

Ethan Katzberg of Kamloops Track and Field Club named Canadian Press male athlete of the year for 2024

Dec 27, 2024 | 8:22 AM

VANCOUVER — Olympic champion hammer thrower Ethan Katzberg has been named The Canadian Press male athlete of the year for 2024.

Katzberg dismantled the competition at the Paris Games to win Canada’s first Olympic gold in men’s hammer throw, and its first medal in the event since 1912.

The 22-year-old Nanaimo native won gold with his first throw of 84.12 metres in the men’s final. No other competitor reached the 80-metre mark in Paris.

Katzberg earned 17 of the 56 votes cast by sports editors, producers and reporters across Canada to narrowly beat last year’s winner Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who picked up 14 votes, and Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid who had 13 votes.

“That’s incredible,” Katzberg told The Canadian Press. ”Those are two highly achieving athletes who have done incredibly well in their respective sports. That’s really cool.”

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The Canadian Press began recognizing male and female athletes of the year in 1932.

Other past winners of the award include hockey players Sidney Crosby and Carey Price, basketball player Steve Nash and fellow track and field athletes Donovan Bailey, Andre De Grasse and Damian Warner.

Katzberg, the reigning World Champion in the men’s hammer throw, was named Canada’s flag-bearer for the closing ceremonies at the Paris Olympics along with star swimmer Summer McIntosh, who was named the CP female athlete of the year on Thursday.

McIntosh also won the Northern Star Award as Canada’s athlete of the year, an award for which Katzberg was also a finalist.

– With files from The Canadian Press